Lynn Craig, Christopher de Angelis & More to Star in PIRATES OF FINANCE at NYMF; Full Cast Announced!

The 2013 New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) and Pirates Musical LLC present The Pirates of Finance a world premiere musical comedy written by Charles Veley with music by Sir Arthur Sullivan. Gary Slavin directs a cast of twelve including Lynn Craig*, Christopher de Angelis*, Preston Ellis*, Amber Nicole Guest*, Alex Krasser*, Janice Landry*, Heather Lundstedt, Carter Lynch*, David Macaluso*, Sydney Ransom, Deborah Jean Templin*, and Jacob R. Thompson*. Music Director Brenna Sage leads a band including John Licari (drums), Dwayne Beach (violin/viola), and Emily Croome (second keys). The Pirates of Finance is being staged at The Alice Griffin Theatre at The Pershing Square Signature Center, 480 West 42nd Street (bet. 9th & 10th Avenues) in NYC for five performances from Monday, July 15 through Saturday, July 20, 2013. The Pershing Square Signature Center is the official hub of The New York Musical Theatre Festival. The Pirates of Finance is an official selection of the 2013 New York Musical Theatre Festival. *Appearing courtesy of Actors' Equity Association.

When musical conductor Frederick Freemarket inherits his uncle's Wall Street investment company, he dreams of rescuing the world from economic doldrums. The company is worth twelve billion dollars - what could possibly go wrong? But golden dreams can hold hidden surprises, especially on Wall Street: love blossoms, tension mounts and spirits rise to a height of irrational exuberance that few can scale, before - in a classic Gilbert & Sullivan topsy-turvy twist - all ends in perfect harmony.

The Pirates of Finance is presented by The New York Musical Theatre Festival. Director: Gary Slavin; Music Director:Brenna Sage­­­­­­­­­­­­; Technical Director: Daniel Jagendorf; Set & Lighting Designer: David Goldstein; Costume Designer: Anne Auberjonois; Casting Director: Holly Buczk; Stage Manager: Aaron Heflich Shapiro; Assistant Stage Manager:Miriam Hyfler; General Manager: Suellen Vance; Photographer/Videographer: Seth Walters; Publicist: Paul Siebold/Off Off PR.

The Pirates of Finance plays for five performances on the following schedule: Monday, Jul 15th, 2013 at 9:00pm; Tuesday, Jul 16th, 2013 at 1:00pm; Thursday, Jul 18th, 2013 at 5:00pm; Thursday, Jul 18th, 2013 at 9:00pm; Saturday, Jul 20th, 2013 at 9:00pm.

Charles Veley (book & lyrics) lives with his wonderful wife Pamela in Hartford, CT where by day he manages large real estate projects for United Technologies Corporation. He thanks the many kind and inspiring individuals who helped and believed in the project from the beginning, including Zelie Pfortzheimer and Al Galletly of The Wilton Playshop; Elise Dewsberry and Scott Guy of ANMT; Jim Cooper, Shawn Amdur, Eric Peterson and all the members of Troupers Light Opera of Darien; Matt Sargeant, Darin Goulet, Russ Dembin, Larry Kravetz, Garner Simmons, Ken Davenport, Jane Caplow, and numerous others who provided insight and perspective.

Sir Arthur Sullivan (composer) Sir Arthur Seymour Sullivan MVO (1842-1900) was an English composer, of Irish and Italian descent, best known for his operatic collaborations with librettist W. S. Gilbert. These operettas, the forerunners of our modern musicals, are continually performed throughout the world to this day. Sullivan's melodies continue to sparkle and inspire, and the songs appear in contemporary works as diverse as "Raiders of the Lost Ark," "The Simpsons," and "The Muppet Show."

Gary Slavin (director) has credits that include directing & choreographing nine Gilbert & Sullivan operas for the Blue Hill Troupe, New York City's musical charity and seven productions for Light Opera of New York. His credits also include countless years of summer stock, directing & choreographing a great variety of shows in the American musical theatre canon with such talents as Joanne Worley (Annie), Lainie Kazan (A Little Night Music) & John Raitt (Shenandoah), as well as Off & Off-Off Broadway (Inside Out; Area 51 - the Musical; Bush is Bad!), the NY International Fringe Festival (Show Choir! & The Irreplaceable Commodity), television ("Stop the World..." with Peter Scolari & Stephanie Zimbalist), educational & international Theatre, including four seasons with the International Gilbert & Sullivan festival in England. He studied with the American Dance Machine for five years and thanks all his teachers, mentors and especially Charles Veley, the Pirates company, and Bob.

Tickets are $25 and can be purchased online at nymf.org or by calling 212-352-3101. For more information, please visit nymf.org.

The runtime for The Pirates of Finance is 110 minutes with one intermission.

NYMF Memberships, which combine charitable contributions with valuable, flexible ticket packages and perks like early seating, and tickets to individual events, are currently available for purchase at (212) 352-3101 or www.nymf.org.

For more information, please visit: www.nymf.org

THE CAST

Lynn Craig (June) is honored to be a part of this year's NYMF! Recently, Lynn originated the role of Margo in the new Air Supply Musical, Lost in Love (costarring Constantine Maroulis, Andrea McArdle). Credits include: National Tour: CATS (Swing). Regional/New York: The Marvelous Wonderettes (Betty Jean), Avenue Q(Christmas Eve), 25th Annual...Spelling Bee (Marcy Park), Seussical (Mayzie La Bird), Carousel, The King and I, and more. Next appearing as Jellylorum/Griddlebone in CATS at North Shore. www.LynnCraig.net

Christopher Deangelis (Behemoth): Broadway/ National Tours: Beauty and the Beast (u/s Lumiere), Jersey Boys (Swing, Assistant Dance Capt., Fight Capt.), Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (u/s Andre), Ragtime (u/s Younger Brother). Regional: Footloose (Willard), Mame (Beau), Cabaret (Cliff).

Preston Ellis (Frederick) is so grateful to Holly and the team for this opportunity. You may have been seen Preston on the "2012 Tony Awards" as Corny Collins, or on the Grease Broadway tour among other works. Thank you to Craig, Bernadette and all my closest friends for your support. Preston is a proud native of New Orleans and encourages you to visit! Geaux Saints/Pelicans!

Amber Nicole Guest (Prudence): New York début! Favorite roles include Rosabella in The Most Happy Fella and AbiGail Adams in 1776 (both at Lyric Stage). Other work: Oliver! (Charlotte/Strawberry Seller), The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (Doatsey Mae), HMS Pinafore (Josephine), Rags (Yiddish Ophelia), and bare: A Pop Opera (Diane Lee). Bachelor of Music, Southern Methodist University. Proud member of AEA.

Alex Krasser (Louie): Recent credits include Babes in Toyland (Lincoln Center), Amazing Grace (Goodspeed), Bitter Sweet (Bard SummerScape), Once Upon a Time in NJ (Prospect Theatre), Miracle on 34th Street (Engeman), Annie (Tarrytown Music Hall), Odyssey (American Theatre of Actors), and work with 13P, the Metropolis Opera Project (including the title role in Billy Blythe), Vital Theatre, and TRU.

Janice Landry (Mary): Off Broadway: National Pastime (Karen) at Playwrights Horizons, and Dear Edwina (Edwina) at the DR2. Other favorite credits include two productions of The Irish... And How They Got That Way (Principal/Musician) in Boston and Philly, Ocean In A Teacup (Mary), Southern Rain (Young Carol), Dr. Faustus (Seven Deadly Sins), and The Madwoman of Chaillot (Irma). TV/film: "Good Morning America", "Guiding Light" and "Sunday to Sunday."www.janicelandry.com

Heather Lundstedt (Elsie): NYMF debut. NY: Ellen (Walden; Robert Moss Theater) Regional: Christine (Phantom), Laurie (Oklahoma), Marguerite (The Scarlet Pimpernel), Cinderella (Into the Woods), Maria (The Sound of Music), Mabel (Pirates of Penzance). Heather is represented by Management 101 and CESD.

Carter Lynch (Huey) returned to NYC in August after traveling with the National Tour of Disney's Beauty and the Beast (u/s Beast, Gaston). Most recently, he performed with NYGASP in H.M.S. Pinafore and Yeomen of the Guard at City Center, and then as Billy in Leave it to Jane with Musicals Tonight! BA in Dramatic Art from UNC-Chapel Hill. www.carterplynch.com

David Macaluso (Dewey) has just returned from performing as Ko-Ko in the national tour of The Mikado with NYGASP. He simultaneously performed the lead roles of both Sir. Joseph & Buttercup in Pinafore! (Vortex Theater) where they were honored with a Drama Desk Award nomination. In different productions David has directed, choreographed, performed as Samuel in The Pirates of Penzance. Some Credits: Molina (Spider Woman), Seymour (Little Shop), Motle (Fiddler), Robin (Ruddigore), Che (Evita). David is a graduate of the Manhattan School of Music.

Sydney Ransom (April) is a graduate of Syracuse University and thrilled to be making her NYMF debut with Pirates! Previous shows include: Grand Hotel, Bittersweet, Utopia, Ltd, Into The Woods, Jon & Jen, A Little Night Music, Big River, Crazy For You, The Sound Of Music, The King and I, Fiddler on the Roof andOklahoma. Sydney also sings/plays/works with The Blue Hill Troupe raising money for NY charities.

Deborah Jean Templin (Clara): NY: Elegies (Betty), Take Me Along (Essie), Ernest in Love (Lady Brackell), Gilbert & Sullivan in Briefs (Mezzo). Broadway Tours:Mamma Mia!, Titanic, Baby, Annie. Regional: Souvenir (Florence), Hello Dolly! (Dolly), Annie (Hannigan), Cabaret (Schneider), Nite Club Confidential (Kaye) Barrymore Award, Young Frankenstein (Blucher) NH Theatre Award, Weathervane (five seasons). Film/TV: "Steam," "Jimmy Fallon," Good Wife." Unsinkable Women: has played over 100 venues. Coming up: Charlotte in Moon Over Buffalo - Barnstormers www.djtemplin.com.

Jacob R. Thompson (Bill Brilliant) is an Iowa native and a graduate of Wagner College, NYC. He was most recently the male understudy on the National Tour ofDivorce Party: The Musical and his next gig is playing Phoenix in the NY Fringe production of The Third Gender. For pics, performances and video blogs, go to jacobthompson.net.